Herbal Drug Development Process Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the significance of the geographical spread of information regarding the medicinal use of a plant in ethnomedicine or folklore?

It decreases the authenticity of the information.

It increases the credibility of the information. (correct)

It prevents the collection of accurate data.

It has no effect on the reliability of the information.

What is serendipity in the context of herbal drug development?

Intentional search for pharmacological activities

Planned discovery of therapeutic effects

Chance discovery of medicinal properties during research (correct)

Foreknowledge of plant's medicinal uses

How does serendipity relate to the research on medicinal plants?

It involves unexpected discoveries. (correct)

It involves planned investigations.

It requires prior knowledge of plant uses.

It is based on intentional actions.

Why is it important to deposit herbarium vouchers during the process of developing a herbal drug?

To authenticate plant identity Signup and view all the answers

What do multiple ethnic or tribal groups using the same plant for the same purpose indicate about that plant's medicinal properties?

The information is more genuine. Signup and view all the answers

In herbal drug development, why is it essential to establish the geographical spread of medicinal plant information?

To verify the credibility of medicinal claims Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of depositing a voucher specimen in an international herbarium?

To document the plant for future reference Signup and view all the answers

Who should a plant specimen be submitted to for identification if its medicinal properties are unknown?

A taxonomist Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a taxonomist in ethnobotanical surveys?

To authenticate the plant Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a tool used for taxonomic exercise in herbal drug development?

DNA sequencing Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of ensuring the correct plant material is used in herbal drug production?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Who is responsible for collecting or re-collecting a plant identified as a candidate for herbal drug development?

A qualified botanist/taxonomist Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of pharmacognostic evaluation in herbal drug development?

To establish the identity of the plant material and assess its quality and purity Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a common class of compounds found in pharmacognostic evaluations?

Proteins Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of depositing a herbarium voucher specimen?

To provide a reference for future identification and authentication of the plant Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a common step in pharmacognostic evaluation of a pharmacologically active plant?

Genetic sequencing of the plant Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of an ethnobotanical survey in the context of herbal drug development?

To establish the geographical spread of medicinal plant information Signup and view all the answers

Who is responsible for the collection and authentication of medicinal plants for herbal drug development?

Botanists/taxonomists Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Gathering Information on Medicinal Use

Ethnomedicinal, folkloric, and other information gathering is the starting point of herbal drug development
This involves gathering information on medicinal uses of a plant through ethnomedicinal or ethnobotanical studies, folklore, and literature
Chance discovery (serendipity) of medicinal properties or therapeutic effects can also occur during research or experimentation
Establishing the geographical spread of medicinal use information is important to determine its credibility
The more the number of ethnic or tribal groups using the plant for the same purpose, the more credible the information is
The more the number of states, countries, and continents that the use cuts across, the greater the assurance that the claim is authentic

Collection and Authentication of the Plant

The plant identified as a candidate for herbal drug development must be collected and authenticated by a qualified botanist/taxonomist
A voucher specimen is prepared and deposited in an international herbarium for future reference
In case of an unknown plant with medicinal properties, a specimen is submitted to a taxonomist for identification and documentation
Tools used for taxonomic exercise include Herbarium voucher deposition, Macroscopic and Microscopic studies, and chromosomes studies in extreme cases
The correct plant material must be used in production to ensure quality control, optimal safety, and efficacy

Pharmacognostic, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Evaluations

This stage involves pharmacognostic, phytochemical, and pharmacological evaluations of the plant
Preliminary phytochemical screening, Thin layer Chromatographic (TLC) profiling, and moisture content are some of the parameters used
Pharmacognostic evaluation gives an idea of the class of active ingredients, including flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolics, and others
This evaluation is necessary to ensure the crude drug material has not been adulterated, mismanaged, or substituted with other plant-drugs
Pharmacological evaluation is preliminary and can be in vitro, in vivo, or both

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Description

Learn about the stages involved in the development of herbal drugs, starting from ethnomedicinal and folkloric information gathering to the discovery of potential medicinal properties. Explore the process of how herbal remedies are derived from traditional knowledge and cultural practices.